Intelligence, From The Battlefield Towards Global Business

TIMES OF ISLAM, TANJUNG ENIM - The momentum of Eid al-Fitr this time gave me the opportunity to meet and discuss with many people, including people who belonged to the "behind the scenes" category. Alhamdulillah, in this Eid al-Fitr holiday I also got the opportunity to open a bit of the history of the glory of Islamic civilization in the past.

Ever heard the phrase "Control Information then you will rule the world?", This expression is not only promoted by futurologists such as John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene in their book 'Megatrend 2000' which is so famous in the 90s, but has also been practiced by the Umaiyyah in embracing Andalusia on the continent of Europe. With excellence in the field of mastery of strategy, technology and information, the Umayyad dynasty was able to control all regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, Central Asia and South Asia to Europe.

Recorded in history, at the request of Andalusians who were oppressed by King Roderick, Kahlifah Al Walid bin Abdul Malik of the Umayyad Empire intended to send an expedition to liberate Andalusia. Before moving to conquer Andalusia, the Caliph Al Walid bin Abdul Malik gave instructions to send combat intelligence forces or train to carry out surveillance of the enemy and conditioning the target area.

With the support of De Graff Julian, a local leader who was dissatisfied with the despotic leadership style of King Roderick, Tharif bin Malik along with about four hundred men managed to sneak into the territory of Andalusia in search of various information about the strength possessed by the enemy while conducting clandestine operations to prepare for the arrival main forces with greater strength.

The presence of the recovery force was quite effective, after all the necessary information was available and the target area was conditioned, then the main forces were sent under the command of Thariq bin Ziyad, who made landfall through a strait which became known as Jabal Tariq or Giblaltar.

The development of modern intelligence has now developed far more rapidly than in the past. Not only analysis and processing of data for business decision making, with well-managed business intelligence operations, a business entity or even an aggressor can control the economic resources owned by other countries without having to master the physical state of the target country.

In the world of intelligence known as cover or disguise. The purpose of using cover in intelligence operations in principle is for the intelligence activity to be unknown to the enemy and the existence of an intelligence team acceptable to the target of operations. In the story of the conquest of Andalusia, as the cover (cover) of the intelligence operations carried out by Tharif bin Malik and his forces, De Graff Julian was a collaborator and logistics support provider. Then what about the current era of globalization?

The progress of science and information technology such as the big data system, cloud computing and so on can encourage intelligence activities by anyone and at any time. The existence of a technology provider company is also a good intelligence cover in the collection of information and data analysis.

Various reports say, the United States is a pioneer of global espionage by utilizing Google as one of the suppliers of technology and data for the benefit of their intelligence. Try to imagine, nowadays almost all personal data and activities of modern society can be accessed by Google through the Android mobile phones that each of us has. Including when we wake up, go where we are today, or even our favorite food menu.

West Allegiance
Not only a giant company that can be used as an intelligence cover, even a new local startup company as long as corn is very likely to be a cover for intelligence operations from foreign countries to master the huge potential of the Indonesian market with the fourth largest population in the world.

At present many foreign venture companies are hunting for business start-ups from Indonesia, to be financed and raised. An example is the uproar news of a local online transportation service company injected with a 16 billion dollar investment from the communist Bamboo Curtain country. Not long after, this online transportation company was transformed into one of the giant providers of e-money platforms in Indonesia. On the one hand this is certainly very encouraging, however, but on the other hand it is also worrying, because it is very possible that it is the entrance of foreign interests in spying and controlling Indonesia's economic sector.

so, how about us? Of course we have to be vigilant but also not be late in the 'paranoid disease' of foreign investment.For beginner business people, it seems it's time to look for investors who are "as ideal and understanding" as our thoughts and principles of life and beliefs. And for those who are given the benefits of rizki, it is time to invest in start-ups of the nation's children who have the potential to be developed no longer 'park funds' to conventional banks.